Starting from Scratch Ch. 07

*advisory* all people in sexual situations are 18 or older, whether depicted in remembrances of not.

note from the author-

Hello to all the avid Starting from Scratch story readers. Thank you so much for enjoying my story. However, I am now obliged to give an advisory. The story started out and will ultimately end as 'Mature Novella', however starting with chapter 7 there will be two chapters with incest and scenes of graphic incest sex. These chapters are 7 and 9, and will also be categorized as 'Incest/Taboo'.

For those that don't not like this content, please, do not feel obligated to read these chapters in order to keep up with Margaret and Thomas's story. Yes, of course, these chapters will build on Thomas's character and back story. They also tell of his story over his five month separation from Margaret. However, essentially, these chapters can be skipped by those that don't want to read them.

Well, that is it for the advisory. Thank you for your patience and continued patronage - Pinkender

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Chapter 7- Kissing Cousins

Emma sunbathed naked everyday until it was just too cool for it to be fun no matter how fun it was to torture Thomas. She loved watching him blush and then sneak peeks at her as she laid out on the beach or pranced about the house naked. So, she did it at every opportunity.

Sometimes Martin needed to come over to discuss lawyer shit, or Thomas's relatives would come and visit. Usually his kid brothers and sisters, or cousins. It was kind of sad really. Besides Martin, Thomas had very few friends. Not that he didn't have a lot of acquaintances, it just took something special to be considered a friend, and Richard had been Thomas's best friend. Other than Martin, Emma was now Thomas's only other friend.

As for family, his mom and dad were divorced. Really, who's parents weren't these days? And, he had two younger brothers and two younger sisters. Then there were the cousins. Really though, only one cousin concerned Emma.

Her name was Anna. She was a flaming, curly-haired, redhead that fell to her buttocks in a coiled mess that made Emma think of Merida from the Disney movie Brave. She had pale white skin with undertones of pink and blue, and she was covered in coppery freckles. She was, roughly by Emma's best guess, five-feet eight-inches tall, a 36F-cup, slim waisted, and with hips slightly broader than her shoulders with a thick round ass and muscular thighs.

Also, Anna wasn't actually Thomas's cousin, she was his aunt. She was Thomas's mother's youngest sister, but since it was weird to call his aunt, who was six months younger than him, his aunt, they decided to call each other cousins.

A couple more curiously annoying things about Anna was: First, she was a younger, hotter, nearly identical version of Thomas's mother. Second, as soon as she shows up she and Thomas fall into a strangely pseudo-incestuous more than just cousins routine. Thomas was charming and confident and modest, but as soon as Anna appeared he changed. Not submissive exactly or insecure, rather, he was like a faithful puppy panting after his owner.

As for Anna, she never did anything obviously incestuous. She hugged Thomas too closely, crushing her breasts against him, leaning in as he wrapped his arms around her waist so that her lower belly and pubic mound rubbed against him in a full body hug. She lingered in the embrace long after everyone else, mostly Emma, started feeling uncomfortable. Once they sat down in the living room to chat and catch up, they would always start on opposite sides of the room, then Anna would go and get herself a snack or a beverage, or she would request that Thomas get her something.

If Anna requested that Thomas get her a drink or a snack, then inevitably once he returned, he sat down near her. Close, but not too close. When this happened she would lean in closer and talk lower which made him lean in closer, and soon after they were laughing and talking all while she touched his thighs, or hands, or forearms.

On the other hand, when Anna would leave and get her own snack or drink once she returned she would sit right next to Thomas. Sometimes she even sat in his lap, all while self-deprecating about her weight and how heavy she must be which, in turn, resulted in Thomas refuting her claims of being heavy or fat. When she sat right next to him, her hip and breasts were nearly always crushed against him as she leaned into him and basically rubbed herself against him like a cat marking her property.

That was the best description Emma had for Anna. She was a cat, and she thought she owned Thomas. The first time she came over and saw Emma, the air in the house seemed to jellify. The animosity, the air of competition, the condescension was palpable. After seeing Emma in one of her smallest g-string bikinis, the next time Anna came over, she wore the same brand and style only in an emerald green. That was when Emma saw that Anna had also removed all of her pubes so that her entire pussy was smooth. From there, Emma and Anna's competition took a turn towards full nudity.

The first time Thomas saw this, well, he was used to Emma being naked and enjoyed looking at her. When Anna and Thomas ran into each other, Anna's cheeks blushed bright red although her jaw was set stubbornly. Thomas on the other hand gasped in shock, which was funny because he was eating cereal and literally spewed it back out of his mouth and nose!

"Holy fuck Anna!" He said once his shock passed, "What the hell?"

Thomas looked everywhere as he tried not to look at his cousin, who was his aunt, who looked like a younger version of his mother. He glanced to Emma for help, then out the windows at the beach, then the ceiling, then the floor, the furniture, all the while darting furtive glances at Anna who was too stubbornly possessive of her nephew for her own good. She stood there in the middle of the living room naked until Thomas finally looked at her.

"So," She taunted for good measure, "You let Emma prance around the house completely naked, and don't mind ogling her. However, if I do the same you have a coronary? What the fuck, Thomas?"

"What do you mean, "what the fuck," Thomas almost yelled, "Emma is my roommate. She can walk around the house anyway she wants. You, Anna, are my cousin! What am I supposed to do with you standing there naked? What does that say about me if I ogled you? What does that say if I enjoyed it?"

Emma looked down at Thomas's crotch and admired his bulge, but also shook her head. Poor guy, his body was more honest than his head was.

Apparently, Anna noticed too as she purred, "What does it say Thomas that you have an erection for your cousin?"

"Oh shit!" He growled and darted back into the kitchen to put his cereal bowl on the counter and rearranged his dick in his pants. When he returned he still looked unsettled as he retorted, "Anna, you know very well they guys react to stimuli. Visual as well as physical. I can't help how my body reacts to seeing you, and Emma, naked. For all you know this reaction is because of Emma, and not you!"

"We'll see," Anna said firmly, "Since you let Emma sunbathe and walk around here naked, it would be unfair for you to insist that I wear a bathing suit. So, get used to it. Look at me. Don't look at me. I don't care."

Which was a complete lie. Anna completely cared that Thomas was looking at her or not. Thankfully, the weather cooled down quickly after that and both Emma and Anna quit sunbathing nude. It didn't stop Anna from visiting though, and Emma took to making sure she was dressed or else Anna went straight to the bathroom and stripped.

The weirdest thing though was watching Thomas get used to seeing, and looking at his cousin. Eventually he ogled and admired Anna as readily as he did Emma. It made her feel a little sick, but then she had to admit, she enjoyed admiring Anna too. The woman was beautiful.

They were eating dinner one night, for once it was just the two of them, so Emma asked, "Thomas, do you know that your aunt is in love with you?"

He nearly choked on the piece of chicken he was chewing. Grabbing his glass of tea he took a swig and swallowed. Once his mouth was clear, he said, "Who? Anna?"

"Yes, Anna," Emma mimicked mocking Thomas, "She's the only relative around here that prances around naked just to impress you!"

"No..." Thomas denied drawing out the word, then he sat there and thought about it, "Not me, I'm her... nephew."

"I'm telling you," Emma said in her most persuasive voice, "A woman knows when another woman is in love, and as you can see, I am a woman."

It was true she was sitting completely naked at the table. Her fingernails were painted, her hair styled, she had a splash of makeup on mostly around her eyes and lip gloss, and she wore high heels that matched her nails. She was sitting there as if she were wearing her best cocktail dress, except there was nothing but her beautiful naked body as she continued, "And, I am telling you, Anna is in love with you!"

"That can't be true," He argued, "She's just... really possessive and competitive."

Emma just looked at him in amazement and shook her head for a good minute before she replied, "How can such a smart man be so..."

"Stupid?" Thomas offered dryly.

"I was going to say obtuse," Emma finished primly, before she continued her argument, "Look, no woman, especially a familial female, prances around a naked man unless she is interested in him, or is a nudist and doesn't mind being seen by anyone. Anna's a woman and she's your family, that's two strikes of you ask me. And, the fact that she is your mother's sister! That should be a third strike all on its own. There is no way Anna would walk around this house, the beach, or anywhere else naked knowing it would be in front of you unless she is in love."

Thomas resumed eating, and as he did so he ogled Emma very thoroughly and very purposefully. He made her wait until her eyes widened with impatience, and then he swallowed his food and answered, "So, which are you Emma? A nudist? Or, are you in love?"

Emma gave him a penetrating stare and a Cheshire Cat smile as she answered, "I haven't once been deceptive or vague, Thomas. I am a nudist. I don't care if people see me naked. I'm proud of my body. My body is a temple, and what good is a beautiful temple if you cover it up? However, I am also in love. I have said that I would like to be more than friends, but for now I am willing to be what you need, which is a bestie. Now, if you ever decide you want to upgrade that to bestie with benefits, or more, just let me know!"

Thomas smirked at her.

He smirked!

"Would you really be happy being a bestie with bennies," He asked.

"Are you nuts," Emma asked, paused for effect as she stared at Thomas like he was an idiot, then hissed, "I hate giving away my secrets, but here it is. No woman wants to be a bestie with bennies. At least, none that I know, We do it... I do it in hopes of becoming something more. The only women that don't want to be more than friends with benefits are women that are screwed up in the head and heart for one reason or another. Most normal, functional, women want a man that is hers, and hers alone."

"What about sharing," Thomas asked with a taunting smirk, "Margaret willingly, adamantly, wanted to share me with Leslie. What do you think about that?"

"Pffff," Emma hissed as she waved a hand dismissively, "Okay, 'Real Genius', let me lay it out straight for you so that even 'Wile E Coyote' could understand it. Any woman that wants to share you with another man, another woman, another animal... it doesn't fucking matter who or what it is, all she really wants it a free pass to cheat. So Margaret is bisexual, great! All that means is that she wants to fuck Leslie, and she sells it to you as 'it's okay because you get to fuck her too'. It doesn't change the fact that it is still cheating. And 'that' is just the cold hard truth. If you want an open relationship, so be it, just don't kid yourself about what you're doing. You're constantly cheating on each other. Of course, if you don't plan on marrying Margaret, Leslie, either of those two older daughters, me, or Anna. Oh, god in heaven forbid you from marrying your aunt! You don't really have to worry about cheating. As you know, marriage is the 'I'm only going to fuck you' contract. Without that, you can basically do whatever the fuck you want, and us stupid fucking women that love you diserve whatever we get for letting you fuck us without said contract."

"You really don't hold back, do you," Thomas snickered.

"Why the fuck should I," Emma replied snarkily, "Life is too short to fuck it up with tact. Let's get it said, let's get it fixed, and then let's move the fuck on!"

Thomas nodded. He could understand exactly where Emma was coming from, and honestly, he had been married and cheated on. He should know this shit. He shouldn't be naive or self-deceptive concerning what was going on with Margaret and Leslie. It was past time he quit thinking relationships are some fairy tail, or some Japanese anime! And, even if Emma were somehow added to that list, he should understand that he was doing to them exactly what Heather had done to him. However, there was an argument to be made for 'expectation'. He had married Heather with the expectation of monogamy. If he married Margaret, or Leslie, or both, would there not be an expectation of ploygamy then?

It gave him something to think about.

"Well," He sighed as he looked down at his food for a long zoned-out minute as he continued, "Seeing that I have sworn off women..."

"Please!" Emma hissed as she tossed her fork onto her plate, pushed her chair back, and stood up, "Look at me Thomas!"

He looked up as she strutted around the table so that her beautiful naked body was right in front of him.

"Thomas, look at me," She said again as she pointed at her own chest, "I love you, and I hope I am your best friend..."

"You're my only friend," Thomas said.

"Bullshit!" Emma growled, "Stop wallowing in self-pity. It is a horrible look on you. Yes, your wife cheated on you. Yes, your best friend betrayed you. Well guess what she's cheating on everyone, even your best friend! That is on her, not you. So you broke up with your hot older girlfriend and her girlfriend, so what! It happens. That is the game when searching for the one that will be your 'person' for life! I love you Thomas, but you know what? Even if you never give me a chance to show you how happy I can make you, I will still love you, and then I will move on. If you were so sworn off women... you never would have let me move in with you. You hurt so much right now. I get that. But don't let what has happened defeat you!"

Emma took a long, considering inhalation as she searched Thomas's expression before continuing, "Somewhere under all that hurt is the man that I am so very attracted to. A good, honest, faithful man. Find him Thomas. Find your strength, empathy, love, and resolve. I know they're there. I see them everytime you look at me. Please, get back on the horse and try again. Thomas, you haven't failed. Not as a husband, and not as a boyfriend. Not yet. You will only fail if you don't quit wallowing in self pity. Come find me when you're ready to move on. I will be whatever you want me to be."

With that said, Emma left and went to her room.

With a sigh Thomas collected the plates and washed the dishes. The next few days were quiet. Emma took a surveillance job that had her sleeping through most days and out most nights, and oddly, he found that he missed her company.

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The cell phone rang, playing a clip from 'The Sound of Silence' by Disturbed, and Thomas tapped the accept button. Raising the phone to his ear he said, "This is Thomas."

"Hi there cuz," Anna purred through the phone.

"Hey Anna, how are you doing," Thomas answered breathlessly, almost panting. Even he could hear it now. The way he fawned over Anna. Had he always done that?

He tried to mentally and physically give himself a shake. Anna's voice was like a sweet caress. Just the sound of her made home think of her goddess worthy body. Had he always been so... enamored... with his aunt?

As memory after memory cycled through his mind's eyes he had to admit, yes he was always in love with Anna. The question then was, why hadn't they become something more? Why didn't they become a couple at least, instead of him marrying Heather?

"Thomas?" Anna called, "Thomas are you still there?"

Anna had been saying something and he had zoned out, lost in his thoughts.

"Sorry Anna, I zoned out for a second there," Thomas admitted before asking, "What were you saying?"

"I was saying," Anna replied, sounding a little vexed, "That Pride and Prejudice is playing at the Marquee Theatre tonight. It is playing only for this weekend, and I wanted to go see it. I was wondering, if you would go on a date with me?

'A date?' Thomas thought in a shocked mental shriek, 'With my cousin? No! A date with my aunt! My mom's little sister! Oh fuck! My life is turning into a Japanese anime!'

Calming himself, Thomas took a deep breath. The fact was that he and Anna had been circling each other all their lives. There was something there, and if he was going to get back on the horse, as Emma suggested, then he would have to give Anna her chance.

"Thomas?" Anna asked, her voice sounding unsure now.

"What time should I pick you up?" Thomas asked, then added, "Would you like to have dinner as well?"

Anna's giggle was so delighted Thomas couldn't help but smile as she said, "Five o'clock then. That way we can eat before the movie."

"Okay then," Thomas replied, "Only, I still only have my motorcycle. I will ride over, but maybe we should take your car from there?"

"No," Anna said so firmly Thomas could hear her shaking her head, "I want the full Thomas Goodspeed experience. I will just have to wear something appropriate for riding behind you."

"Okay," Thomas agreed in a 'I'm not sure of the wisdom of this' voice.

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Thomas was dressed in a blue tweed suit, red leather wingtips, a green and mustard tie, with a white button down shirt with cufflinks. His tie bar also matched his cufflinks when he arrived at Anna's apartment. He parked next to her sedan, set the kickstand, and dismounted his custom Triumph Bonneville T100.

Approaching Anna's door, he knocked, and then knocked again. He was about to knock a third time when the door suddenly swung open. Anna stood in the door with a smile a mile wide and breathing as if she had just been running.

"Sorry," She panted, making her ample cleavage heave and bulge against the confines of her low V-neck bodice, "I was in the back putting on the last touches of mascara when you knocked."

Thomas was stunned. Anna looked... amazing! She knew he liked dressing in a modernized classic dapper-style, so she had chosen her outfit to suit his. Her long fiery red hair was in a single long braid thicker than both his wrists put together. Her makeup accentuated her coloring perfectly. She didn't wear a mask though. Just a bit of lipstick, mascara, and a bit of eyeshadow that really make her bright blue eyes pop. Then there was her dress, a modernized 50s, V-neck, A-frame with a hemline that ended high on her muscularly curvy, silky-white, thighs. Her dress was a pretty moss-green, she had a thin natural leather belt cinched at her natural waist, her long white legs were left unadorned, and she wore four-inch, natural colored, wingtip heels.

Thomas was speechless. His mouth hung open as he stared at his cousin, who was really his aunt, who looked so much like his mother, except younger and drop dead gorgeous! His mouth worked soundlessly, his brain trying in vain to form words and sentences. Anna looked perplexed at first, but then her smile became a smirk, and a naughty one at that.